Tray shelving



J l 16 M. E. HANDLER ETAL TRAY SHELVING Original F i1ed June 20, 1957 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS. MILTON E. HANDLER RALPH ,1. B LLON July 16,1963 M. E. HANDLER ETAL 3,097,746

TRAY SHELVING Original Filed-June 20, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS.MILTON E. HANDLER RALPH J. BELLON United States Patent 3,097,746 TRAYSHELVING Milton E. Handler, Evanston, and Ralph J. Bellon, Glenview,111., assignors to S. A. I-Iirsh Manufacturing Company, Skokie, 1th, acorporation of Illinois Original application June 20, 1957, Ser. No.666,962, now Patent No. 2,982,423, dated May 2, 1961. Divided and thisapplication Aug. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 56,330

1 Claim. (Cl. 211-126) This invention relates to tray shelving, and moreparticularly to tray shelving which can be readily assembled anddisassembled and which has internal and external reinforcing means toassure stability and longevity under conditions of heavy use.

The present application is a division of co-pending application U.S.Serial No. 666,962, filed June 20, 1957, now U.S. Patent No. 2,982,423,granted May 2, 19:61.

Heretofore, tray shelving has been available which could be assembledand notched down with relative ease, but this shelving has been subjectto the difiiculty that the connection between the shelf structures andthe supports has often required special care in adjustment, whilespecial under-supports have often been required for the shelvesthemselves,

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a trayshelving assembly, wherein the shelf structure can be readily insertedin the support elements in guided relationship without the necessity foraccurate estimation of the relationship of the parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide tray shelving asdescribed, which can be readily assembled and disassembled without theneed for adjustment of parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide tray shelving asdescribed, wherein the shelving is substantially self-sustaining withrespect to the upright supports therefor, and is provided with means forconnection with the supports effective against both stress and tensionforces at a plurality of points.

Another object of the invention is to provide tray shelving, which inits weight-bearing condition is even more securely lodged and supportedwith respect to the support elements therefor than within thenon-weight-bearing condition, and which is proof against accidentalmisalignment of parts or warping.

Another object of the invention is to provide tray shelving asdescribed, wherein the shelf itself is structured to overcome downwardstress, and wherein end walls are provided which both maintain articlesagainst movement outwardly of the shelf and afford additionalreinforcing for the shelf.

Another object of the invention is to provide end Walls as described,having an inwardly configured reinforcing structure affording furtherstrength in supporting articles placed on the shelf.

Another object of the invention is to provide tray shelving asdescribed, and partitions for use therein which in themselves affordeffective struts having a three-point stress relationship with the shelfto rigidify and solidify the shelf against stresses exerted thereon.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become aparent as thedescription proceeds in accordance with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a shelf according to the presentinvention, in assembled condition;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the shelf as it is placedin guided relationship with respect to the vertical supports thereforupon introduction of the shelf into supported relationship with thesupports;

FIGURE 3 is a view corresponding to the view of FIG- URE 2, showing theshelf after it has been brought 3,097,746 Patented July 16, 1963 intoproper angular relationship with the support for the shelf;

FIGURE 4 is a further view corresponding to the views of FIGURES 2 and3, and showing the shelf in assembled condition;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 ofFIGURE 1, and showing the relationship of a pair of end walls abuttinglyreceived within slots formed in the support for the shelf;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 66 of FIGURE1, and showing struts having a three-point bearing and supportrelationship with the shelf for further reinforcing thereof and forcompaitmentation 0f the shelf; and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention showingthe trays in cooperative relationship with rails, and having the traysand rails telescopically adjustable.

"Referring now to FIGURE 1, the shelf assembly according to theinvention comprises a plurality of vertical support elements, such asthe elements 10 and 12, which are preferably formed with a U-shapedcross sectional configuration for added strength. These supports areprovided with a plurality of vertically spaced, rectangular apertures 14for engagement with one or more trays or shelves 16 and 18, ashereinafter further set forth. Each of the shelves is provided with endwallssuch as the end walls 20 and 22 for the shelf or tray 16, and theend walls 24 and 26 for the tray 18; preferably the end walls are formedintegral with the bottom portions of the respective trays and each ofthe end walls has formed axially thereon a pair of ears or lugs, such asthe cars 28 and 30, it being seen that the vertically spaced apertures14 in the supports are sufiiciently wide to receive the pair of endwalls and their ears 28 and 30 therein in side-toside abuttingrelationship (FIG. 5), and the ears 28 and 30 being spaced apart apredetermined distance suflicient to permit them to engage inimmediately and vertically adjacent apertures 14, as shown.

The trays 16 and 18 are given a dished configuration such that a rearWall 32 and 34 for each of the trays is adapted to rest in abuttingrelationship against the supports when the trays are in assembledcondition as shown, and the walls 32 and 34 have a predetermined widthsufilcient to distribute weight supported by the shelves over arelatively wide area against the support members 10 and 12 during use. Abottom wall for the shelves, such as the bottom walls 36 and 38, extendsforwardly a predetermined distance to provide a working surface forholding supplies of medicines or the like; and at the forward end of thetrays, upstanding and preferably outwardly inclined walls 40 and 42 areprovided having a relatively reduced height, in accordance with theover-all construction of the shelves as a reinforcing member in itself,and the downwardly inclined reinforcing character of the top edges 44-,46, 48 and 59 of the respective end walls 20 through 26. In order tostrengthen the shelf structure further against lateral bending, as wellas to provide a smooth edge surface, the rear edges 52 and 54 of therear walls 32 and 3-4 are rolled or beaded, and the front walls 40 and42 are correspondingly rolled or beaded (as indicated at 56 and 58).

In accordance with the invention, each of the ears 28 and 30 has adepending locking extension designated by numbers 60 and 62, spaced fromthe back walls of the respective trays a distance substantiallycorresponding to the width of the adjacent portion of the verticalsupports 10 and 12. However, in order that any possibility of sheer ortension forces effecting ripping of the metal connection 64 between theear 28 and the wall with which it is formed may be prevented, anupstanding extension 66 is provided on the ear 28 whose function will behereinafter further described. At the same time, the depending element68 is bevelled at its outer edge 68 for ease in inserting the ear 28into the support.

Referring now to FIGURES l and 6, a plurality of reinforcing struts,such as the struts 7t} and 72, may be removably inserted inperpendicular relationship to the bottom walls 36 and 38 of the traysand in spaced apart, parallel relationship to the side walls 20 through26. These walls 70 and 72 cooperate with the side walls 20 and 22 indistributing forces exerted on the tray bottom wall 36 by materialsplaced thereon, in a manner hereinafter set forth. Each of the struts orreinforcing partitions 78 and 72 is provided at its forward end with alug (such as the lugs 74 and 76) adapted to be received in complementaryapertures 78 and 80, and has formed at its rearward end an upstandinglug 82 and 84 for engagement with the upstanding rear wall 32 inapertures 86 and 88-corresponding apertures (such as the apertures 90and 92) being provided at predetermined spaced intervals. Each of theapertures, such as the apertures 98 and 92, is of course formed oppositea corresponding forward aperture such as the apertures 94 and 96.

The manner of inserting the tray into supported position on the uprightsupports 10 and 12 may be seen by reference to FIGURES 2 through 4.First, the ear 28 is inserted into one of the apertures 14, with theupstanding extension 66 pointed at an angle parallel to the back wall ofthe tray. At such time, the beveled lower edge 68 of the ear 28 permitsthe ear to cam freely over the lower edge of the aperture 14, as shownin FIGURE 2. Thereupon, the tray is pivoted inwardly until the cars 28and 30 are received behind the wall of the upright in which they arebeing inserted, and the ear 30 has its extension 62 still spaced abovethe lower edge of the aperture into which it has been inserted. Thisrelationship is shown in FIGURE 3.

The tray will thereupon of its own accord slide downwardly intosupported relationship upon the vertical sup port herein designated byreference numeral 12, and it will be appreciated that the upperextension of the ear 28 must have a length substantially greater thanthe length of the lower extension 62 on the ear 30 so that it may bemaintained in abutting engagement behind the support 12, as shown inFIGURE 4, when the tray is in the seated position.

The ear 28, therefore, provides two stress-resisting engagements withthe suport 12one afforded by the upstanding ear extension 66, and theother afforded by the depending ear extension 60whereas in previouslyavailable constructions the tray, if engaged in a key-and-slotrelationship, tended to pull away from the shelf due to the tearing ofone of the keys used therefor. The present construction precludes anysuch possibility by virtue of the double engagement of the ear 28 withthe vertical supoprt. Because the ear 28 is spaced a predetermineddistance above the ear 30, it will be appreciated that the ear 30 ineffect acts as a pivot point for forces tending to move the trayoutwardly of the vertical support and, accordingly, a greater degree ofstress and tension is placed upon the ear 28 than is placed upon the ear30. Thus, this double stress resistance afforded by the separate ears 66and 60 is extremely advantageous in a construction as shown. On theother hand, the ears 30 when in engaged position (as seen in FIGURE 4)must resist primarily forces of sheer exerted by the bottom edge of theaperture 14 in which it is placed so that, if the relative height abovethe said bottom edge of the aperture 14 is sufficiently great, therewill be relatively little danger of tearing with respect to this ear.

Referring again to FIGURES 1 through 6, the reinforcing struts 70 and 72cooperate, as stated, with the means provided by the shelves 16 and 18themselves as well as their end walls 20 through 26, as hereinafter setforth. Thus, each of the struts 70 and 72 affords a three-point stressrelationship with the shelf to overcome forces which would tend todeform the shelf and which would warp its bottom wall 36 downwardly.Assuming a downward force on the wall 36, the upper rear portion of thestrut, and in particular the tab 82 or 84, would engage with the wall32; and at the same time, the lower rear interior portion of the strut(designated by numerals 94 and 96) would bear against the wall 36. Thus,a soundly based upward force would be brought along the beam or strutitself to permit the tabs (such as the abs '74- and 76) to exert upwardforce against the tendency of the tray to move downwardly, and to bend.It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the manner ofconnecting the individual partitions 7:? and 72 into the tray may bevaried, and for example, cars 82 and 84 could be formed Within the trayitself, with their upstanding ends adapted to engage Within slots in thehead 52. The stress relationships described would remain the same.

Referring to FIGURES l and 2, it will be seen that each of theillustrated end walls 28 through 24 is preferably dished inwardly inorder to strengthen the beam characteristic of the end wall. That is,the end walls are configured so that one or more portions thereof isdisplaced laterally with respect to the plane defined by the end Wall asa whole. In particular, this prevents warping of the end wall inresponse to stresses exerted thereon; and as a particular form of thedished or laterally displaced configuration, it is possible to have thisdisplacement extend or occur at the innermost edge 98 (as shown inFIGURE 1) so that in effect a shoulder is provided, adapted to abut thesupport to be secured thereto. Thus, a shoulder formed by the lateralwarping or displacement of the end wall will permit a solid engagement,threedimensionally, with the vertical support to further stabilize theshelf structure.

Referring now to FIGURE 7, it will be seen that trays 16a may be usedwhich are adapted to telescope, and that rails may be used inconjunction with the trays, here shown in telescopic form also. Therails 100, which may be used for preventing bottles and the like fromtumbling, and for holding such articles at a position above the bottomsof the trays, have their end extensions 102 configured to be insertedwithin the slots 14 in the manner described with respect to the endwalls 20 through 26. Preferably, such end extensions are dished as at104 for additional strength, as hereinbefore described.

The telescoping form of the shelving thus permits the trays to beadjusted to a predetermined alignment of the uprights withoutdifficulty, and generally contributes to the ease of adjustment andassembly thereof, particularly where variations in shelf widths may bedesired.

Accordingly, there has been provided a shelf construction which is easyto assemble and disassemble, the guide ears 28 serving to guide the trayas a whole during the initial stages of insertion into the supports.After the ear 28 has thus guided and aligned the tray relative to thesupports, the ears 32 automatically will be in registration with theirapertures immediately subjacent the apertures receiving the ears 28.Thus, the entire assembly will take place substantially automatically,and where a telescoping construction is used, as stated, any desiredadjustment may be made without difficulty.

Although we have herein set forth and described our invention withrespect to certain principles and details thereof, it will be understoodby those skilled in the art that these may be varied without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the hereuntoappended claim. I

We claim:

A tray shelving structure comprising a plurality of upright suportshaving a substantially U-shaped cross sectional configuration with thecentral portion thereof mounted outwardly and defining a plurality oflongitudinally aligned, evenly spaced slots of uniform dimensions, atray having horizontally spaced end wall members each defining anoutwardly and downwardly inclined upper edge and an upper ear and alower ear in coplanar relationship therewith for each support and spacedapart a vertical distance substantially corresponding to the distancebetween said slots, each of said ears having a depending extension andeach of said upper ears being above the level of the front end of itsend wall member and having an upwardly disposed extension, and a railfor said tray disposed above the level of said front end and having apair of end piece members parallel to the end wall members on said tray,each of said end piece members having an ear constructed like the saidupper ears, said members being paired in side by side contactingrelationship for 7 relative movement in parallel planes with theirrespective adjacent ears adapted to be received in side by siderelationship for their relative movement in one of said slots 6selectively for individual and concurrent insertion and removal, saidslots being wide enough to receive and support thereby the adjacent earsand paired members in face to face contact with each other respectively.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

